Oat Crumble Crust Recipe

I often use this recipe as an alternative to a graham cracker crust. It's very crumbly, tastes like a buttery oatmeal cookie, and has a nice salty and sweet thing going on which is a great contrast to most sweet fillings. Use it whenever recipes call for a graham cracker crust.

Yield:8

Active time:15 minutes

Total time:1 hour

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

8 ounces butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Combine rolled oats, salt, and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Grind the mixture until the oats are broken into small pieces, about 20 seconds. Set aside.

2.

Cream 8 ounces butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with an electric beater until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until blended.

3.

Spread the mixture in an even layer over a parchment lined sheet tray, stopping 1 inch before the edges. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating halfway through.

4.

After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Break up the mixture using a spatula, stirring it up so the golden brown exterior and the lighter interior are mixed. Re-spread the mixture evenly over the sheet tray, and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden brown.

5.

Allow the pan to cool. Break up the crust into pieces and place them in the bowl of a food processor and process until homogeneous and mealy. Slowly pour 3 tablespoons of melted butter into the food processor through the top feeder tube as it's running. The mixture will feel slightly damp.

6.

Pour the mixture into a pie plate and press the crust into shape on the edges and bottom. Chill for 20 minutes before filling.

Special Equipment

Lauren Weisenthal has logged many hours working in restaurant kitchens and bakeries of Brooklyn and Manhattan. She is a graduate of the Artisan Bread Baking and Pastry Arts programs at the French Culinary Institute and holds a CS Certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers.